Bootleg Poster Artists?

I went to the Mudhoney/Melvins show in Milwaukee last night (which was great), and saw that Bobby Dixon did a couple of awesome posters for the show. As I was leaving the show, I noticed a guy standing on the steps selling posters he considered "the" poster for the show.

I guess I was just curious how you guys felt about people who do "bootleg" posters. Maybe that's how some people start out? I don't know how the business relationship between the bands and the poster artists works.

I'm not an artist, just a fan, and I appreciate the work that you guys put into your posters.

I was just curious how you guys felt about people who do "bootleg" posters. Maybe that's how some people start out? I don't know how the business relationship between the bands and the poster artists works.

It's not cool...

I only know of one person who just once made a bootleg but that was genuinely their (then) amateur passion bubbling forth rather than a get rich scheme... they got burnt and learnt their lesson.

I don't think this is a cool way to "get started" ...In my eagerness to do something for a band I really loved (back when I was starting out) who were playing a small venue whose mailing list I wasn't on (meaning I found out too late to negotiate a deal via phone or email), I went ahead and designed a poster, printed a small edition (30 odd I think) and took them to the venue on the day around soundcheck time... the venue let me in and introduced me to the booking agent, the agent introduced me to the tour manager, he put me on the guestlist and held the posters, then introduced me to the act and I got the green light to sell...

that's not the coolest way to get started but its a hell of a load more respectful to the act.

Some people might consider themselves "authentic" artists by working that way... playing it off as just being genuine music lovers that want to create artwork for the bands that matter to them. What they're actually doing is devaluing what it is we do. We all work hard, not only on the artwork we create but also, on getting work in the first place. That in and of itself is hard work... Making sure we have a good relationship with bands, management, venues, promoters - all the while, trying to look out for ourselves so we don't get screwed over is hard work.

On top of that, they're now stealing the bands names to make a buck on artwork they didn't even feel strongly enough about to actually submit to bands the right way. It's a shitty way to work. ESPECIALLY if the artwork is good enough that it wouldn't have had to stoop to that level.

it's lame.
there seem to be a lot of people that do it to get a start but then once they know better (and they're established) they preach that it's wrong. and that people just now starting out shouldn't use that method to kickstart their own career.

i hear of more grey areas than i think there should be. a bootleg is a bootleg regardless of how cool the design is, who the band is, or who did the poster. lames.

There are no grey areas when it comes to selling a poster on the basis of someone else's trademark, without their stated consent. It's flat out wrong, everyone knows it, and anyone who pleads naivety or asserts that there's some sort of grey area is muddying the waters to cover for their own unethical behavior.

This photo was sent to me after the Melvins show in Milwaukee. He was selling them to posters for $10 saying "Poster for local show by Local artist". He's not a beginner. He has been printing for over 15yrs.

This photo was sent to me after the Melvins show in Milwaukee. He was selling them to posters for $10 saying "Poster for local show by Local artist". He's not a beginner. He has been printing for over 15yrs.

Edit. I also forwarded the pic to Bobby Sunday night.

yeah, I saw someone take a picture of him, and thought maybe the photographer and his friends were a group of artists who came up to the show from Flatstock (one guy had a Lil' Tuffy hat).